Famous Festivals in Tenerife

With its unique blend of Spanish, Latin American and island heritage, Tenerife’s cultural calendar is renowned and whenever you visit, there’s sure to be a reason to celebrate. From colorful parades to riotous street parties, here are some of the island’s most famous festivals.

Carnival

Tenerife capital Santa Cruz hosts the world’s second largest carnival celebrations, surpassed only by Brazil, with over thousands of people descending on the coastal city each February. With an enormous parade of elaborately costumed marchers, dancers and musicians, elected Carnival Queens and live music performances, the city center transforms into one big, colorful street party to which everyone is welcome.

Romaria de Tegueste

Tenerife holds a number of historic festivals known as Romerías throughout the year, a unique celebration of folklore, religion and culture that often include costumed parades, folk music and dancing, and displays of cultural traditions and handicrafts. One of the most famous is held each April in Tegueste, with thousands turning out for the parade and street party in honor of St. Mark the Evangelist.

Corpus Christi Festival

Another renowned religious celebration is the June festival of Corpus Christi, held in Tacoronte, La Laguna and La Orotava and featuring parades, fireworks displays and ventorrillos (street cafes) serving up traditional Canarian foods. Most unique are the Corpus Christi carpets – hand-woven from flower petals and sand, and laid out in the streets to form a gigantic, colorful tapestry for the procession to pass over.